Pongola truck driver abandons bail application

Sibusiso Siyaya has been charged with 20 counts of culpable homicide. Picture: With permission/ Dasen Thathiah/eNCA

Sibusiso Siyaya has been charged with 20 counts of culpable homicide. Picture: With permission/ Dasen Thathiah/eNCA

Published Sep 26, 2022

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Durban - The truck driver in the fatal Pongola crash that claimed the lives of 18 people has abandoned his bail application.

Sibusiso Siyaya, 28, made a second appearance in the Pongola Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

In court today, Siyaya opted to abandon his bail application, and the matter was adjourned to October 25 for further investigations.

On September 16, a total of 20 people died in a head-on collision between a truck and a light delivery vehicle.

The horror crash claimed the lives of 18 children.

They were aged between 5 and 13. A teacher also died in the crash.

The children had been seated in the back of the bakkie.

On Friday, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula visited the crash site and provided the details on the accident report.

Mbalula said the truck driver was reckless because he overtook on a barrier line and drove in the oncoming lane for 1.2km, endangering the lives of motorists.

Siyaya is alleged to have fled the accident scene and, a day later, handed himself over to police.

IOL